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MONONGALIA COUNTY WEST VIRGINIA
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Submitted to the West Virginia Biographies Project by:
PJSTON@aol.com
December 14, 1999
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The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc.,
Chicago and New York, Volume II
pg 192
Peter Dille Arbogast, M. D. In the passage of time, including the momentous
events of recent years in the world's history that have wrecked personal
ambitions and overturned thrones, America has never forgotten or failed to
pay tribute to that noble and substantial friend of other days, the Marquis
de Lafayette of France. In a measure, this interest has clung also to those
brave cavaliers who accompanied him to the unknown land across the sea and
unsheathed their swords to aid the struggling American colonies to secure
independence. Not all of these brave soldiers returned to France, a number
of them deciding to remain in the goodly land to which duty had led them, and
here they founded families that generations afterward still bear their
honored names, and through emulating their response to the call of need some
of their descendants have wiped out the old-time debt on their native soil.
The Arbogast family of West Virginia was founded in America by two brothers
who accompanied the Marquis de Lafayette from France in 1777 and fought in
the Revolutionary war to assist the American colonies. The Arbogast brothers
afterward returned to France, but subsequently returned to the state, and
both married women of German extraction. The great-grandfather of Dr. Peter
D. Arbogast came to what is now Pendleton County, West Virginia, where he
became the father of seven sons, of unusual physical development, all being
over six feet in stature.
Adam Arbogast, the grandfather of Doctor Arbogast, a leading medical
practitioner at Morgantown, was born in Pendleton County, West Virginia, and
was one of the first three men to settle in what is now Pocahontas County,
and with his brothers assisted in the defense of Fort Seibert when the
Indians attacked the settlers, who had taken refuge in that old log fort.
Adam Arbogast, son of Adam and father of Doctor Arbogast, was born in 1792 on
his father's farm in Pocahontas County, and died there in 1874. He was a
prosperous farmer, and in addition to the old homestead owned another
valuable farm. He married Sarah McDaniel, who was born in Randolph County,
Virginia, in 1841, and survived until 1917. Her parents were born in
Scotland.
Doctor Arbogast was born on the old family farm in Pocahontas County, West
Virginia, March 19, 1867. He attended the free schools and later
Hillsborough Academy following which he taught school for several years. In
1897 he entered the University of Virginia, where he completed a medical
course and was graduated from that institution with his degree June 12, 1901.
He entered into practice at Durbin, Pocahontas County, removing in 1903 to
Gorman, Maryland but returning in 1904 to Durbin, where he continued until
1911, when, in search of a wider field he came to Morgantown, where he is now
very firmly established in the confidence and affection of the people.
Doctor Arbogast married, January 31, 1894, Miss Hodie Jane Burner, who was
born in Pocahontas County and was a daughter of Charles and Elizabeth (Beard)
Burner, belonging, like the Doctor, to an old pioneer family of this section.
Her great-grandfather, George Burner, and Adam Arbogast and Jacob Yeager,
all married sisters, and, as the three earliest pioneers, settled for a time
in Upper Greenbrier Valley, Pocahontas County, and all became people of
importance. Mrs. Arbogast passed away on October 14, 1919, leaving five sons
and one daughter and a wide circle of attached friends. The eldest son,
Harry McNeil Arbogast, after spending two years in the University of West
Virginia, was a member of the United States Army Medical Corps for six months
during the World war, being connected with the hospital at Fort Lee,
Virginia. He married Miss Luella Howell, daughter of Charles G. Howell of
Morgantown, and they have one son, Richard Dille, who was born on Easter
Sunday, 1921.
The daughter of Doctor Arbogast, Gertie Gale, is the wife of Lester E.
Frazier, and they have one daughter, Catherine Jane. Mr. Frazier is a
graduated chemist of the University of West Virginia. He was born and reared
in Ronceverte, Greenbrier County, but after his marriage moved to Monessen,
Pennsylvania.
Charles Merle Arbogast, who is an overseas veteran of the World war, was a
member of the West Virginia National Guard at the outbreak of the World war,
and as such went first to Fairmont, then to Pittsburgh, then back to Fairmont
and then to Camp Shelby, Mississippi, where he spent a year in practice on
the rifle range, following which he accompanied the American Expeditionary
Forces to France. There he saw active service until military offensives were
terminated by the signing of the armistice with the enemy, and he returned to
the United States in July, 1919. He is now a member of the West Virginia
State Police. The three younger sons of the family are: Hoyt, who was
graduated from the Morgantown High School in 1919, and Keith Bailey and Grey,
who are yet in the grade schools.
Doctor Arbogast has never been particularly active in political life,
although his convictions are sound and reasonable, but he is recognized as a
dependable citizen who is justifiably proud of his long line of American
ancestry. He is identified with a number of professional organizations and
fraternally is a Mason and Odd Fellow. He is a member and liberal supporter
of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
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